Tropical Heritage Garden Diary: September 2013:

Back from our weekend (shopping) trip to Cebu (with new seeds, of course).

First some Water Melon seeds, saved from a fruit salad we'd eaten while travelling, were planted in various "compost" areas .

Then another sowing of Pansies, local Mums, Delphiniums and Cornflower in the two Lanzones patches. The cuttings seem to be doing reasonably well, but it is impossible to tell yet how many seedlings are growing and how many are weeds.

Afterwards,work started on preparing the Herb Garden for the new herbs we bought in Cebu (Italian Parsley, Thai Basil and Chinese Celery). Initially, I was planning to mix herbs and leafy vegetables (in the second Coconut patch) but then decided, instead, to clean up the Herb Garden and leave out the vegetables, just to make it easier to recognise the herbs if they grow.

Some Maize and assorted Okra were left to soak before planting.

At the end of the afternoon the Maize was planted in various patches in the Northern Garden (N.1B, N.1 C, N2A, N.2D and Herb Garden)

Ready For Planting!
The Herb garden
Images of
Herb Garden readu for sowing

4 September:

The Okra was also planted in N.1B, N.1 C, N2A, N.2D and Herb Garden.

Samples of both Penny Rice and Blue Bonnet Rice were planted in the newly renovated Herb Garden. Together with Oats and Barley (which were also planted in several "compost" area under trees).

Finally, the Thai Basil, Italian Parsley, and Chinese Celery -together with Purple Shisho, Sweet Marjoram, Caraway, Amaranth, Korean Hyssop, Marsh mallow, Wild Dagga and Edible Chrysanthemum were also broadcast in the Herb Garden.

Although there has been a lot of (distant) thunder the last few days, still no rain -so the rest of the afternoon was spent watering the garden (until the water pressure became too weak).

5 September:

For Fatima's birthday in August we ordered some exotic seeds via the internet. Somehow, we didn't get around to planting them. Perhaps I was just a little intimidated by the fact that there were so few in each packet (sometimes only 5 or 6 seeds) -so we would have to be very careful....

First some Butter Beans, Indian Serpent Gourd and Thai Best Melon were left to soak while I planted other things. Later the Butter Beans were planted in V.4B and V.4E, the Indian Serpent Gourd in the climbing frame area and the Thai Best Melon planted in the Northern compost heap where some Squash are also growing..

Some Bakers Creek Asparagus was planted in a few compost areas under trees and in V.4A and V.4E -while the Seedman Asparagus was planted in the two northern Banana Tree Patches.

Eggplant planted earlier in pots had been knocked over by animals -so after the Purple Tiger Eggplant and the Turkish Orange Eggplant had been planted in "mini-greenhouses" made from plastic containers used to package small cakes, some Round Eggplant and Long Eggplant were planted in a "sauna pot" inside a plastic bag.

Some Hot Spell Tomato was planted in a pot in the empty space next to a Dumb-cane -and some Utah Long Celery was planted, both in a "sauna" and broadcast in the "new" Coconut Tree mini-garden..

Although it had rained in the night, the garden was still fairly dry -and so despite the distant thunder, I watered the newly planted areas. Several hours later, in the evening, and it still hasn't rained.

Images of beans from garden and newly
purchased

It seems we now have several different types of Bean (including the Cow Pea) growing in the garden. Hopefully, soon we shall also have Butterbeans.....

6 September:

The Cow Pea and the White and Brown Long Beans were planted in various locations in the Southern Garden.

A start was also made in finding room for the new Green vegetable seeds from Cebu. Plot T.1B was cleaned up. The next stage is to clean T.1A and join them together by putting fresh earth and chopped Coir where the separating path now is. Then a selection of vegetables can be planted there. Although it was clear that weeds were preventing the growth of any other plants there -the weeds do seem to have done a good job in improving the soil, which is now far less sticky than before.

A Good Harvest of Weeds
-For the Compost

Images of weeding with areas with and
without weeds -plus compost heap

8 September:

Weeded and Seeded
Seeds from Cebu Newly United Patch

Images of new seeds plus weeded and
seeded patch

The new T.1AB

Planted today:

In the newly weeded and unified patch (T.1AB): Thai Basil, Chinese Celery, Italian Parsley, Shisho, Caraway, Sweet Marjoram, Utah Long Celery, Amayah, Kailaan, Arugula, Cauliflower, Sweet Pepper, Cucumber, Red and White Radish.

Harvested:

Only half of our Coconut Trees were harvested before our trip to Cebu last weekend. Today the harvester came to finish the job. These Coconuts will be saved to make our own cooking oil from. We also harvested a few immature green Coconuts, for the juice and the soft meat inside.

Another Coconut harvest, with debris and more compost

9 September:

Cleaning up!

Images of Harvest Debris and restored
order

It rained heavily all night -in the morning the remaining debris looked like a typhoon had just passed. However, Penny and Terri soon had everything cleaned up. But what are we going to do with all those Coconuts.......

11 September:

Another two plots weeded and seeded

More iImages of another weeded and
seeded patch

T.2A T.2B

Planted today:

Squash (Round and Long) in V.3A and V.3B -also in the compost under a Coconut tree, together with some Cherry Tomato.

Assorted Patola (Loofah) in the climbing area (V.2A, V.3A and V.3B).

In the newly weeded plot T.2A: Mung Beans, Mesclun Salad, Utah Long Celery, Thai Basil, Italian Parsley, Cherry Tomato, Sweet Pepper (Know You), Carrot, White Radish and Red Radish were broadcast with Cardoon planted separately.

In the newly weeded plot T.2B: Mung Beans, Carrot, White Radish, Red Radish, Cherry Tomato and Utah Long Celery were broadcast with Mesclun Salad, Cardoon and the last of the Artichoke planted separately.

The two Coconut Tree mini-gardens were weeded, ready for planting.

Seedlings in the newly cleaned (and united) T.1AB seem to be sprouting.

Seeds or Weeds?

Images of
very young seedlings growing

T.1AB

12 September:

13 September:

Planted today:

Banana patch:

Arugula, Kailaan, Carrot, Assorted Hot and Sweet Pepper, Amayah, Chinkang, Thai Basil, Chinese Celery, and Italian Parsley

Squash:

3 Market Squash (July) -in Coconut tree Compost area near the Heritage patch.
3 Market Squash (May) -in the Gabi patch
3 Market Squash (May-2) -behind the tree stump in the Winged Bean patch (V.2A)
6 Market Squash (June) -around Banana/Coconut Trees, Northern edge of Gabi patch by the Western fence
9 Fermented Market (Aug) -around Banana clump, among Gabi, along the Western fence
2 Round Pumpkin (V-125) -Western fence section by Ginger patch
2 Long Pumpkin (V-365) -Western fence section by Compost heap

16 September:

17 September:

18 September:

Images of improvements around tree stump

Butterbeans
-Planted Earlier -Planted Today
Images of
Butterbean patches -planted recently and today

Planted today

Penny Rice, Blue bonnet Rice and Barley Around tree stump in newly improved T.2AB.

Butterbeans in V.3C.

19 September:

Devastation Repaired

Images of patch reseeded after damage
by chickens

By breakfast time this morning the chickens had already devastated the area around the tree stump. So it was reseeded with Penny Rice and a few Blue Bonnet Rice grains (which are nearly finished). There was no more Barley left. A screen was placed over the rice to protect it. The last of the Cauliflower and some ChinKang was also broadcast around the stump.

Some Macapuno Maize was planted in H.1 and in N.1B and N.2A.

Some 2nd generation (large July) Burmese Okra was put in soak for planting tomorrow.

20 September:

Another Banana Harvest

Food for us and Compost for the Plants

Images of harvested Bananas and
distributed Banana trunk

25 September:

Various Vines

Patches cleaned and re-sowed

Another Bean Race

Wet and Dry Brown Beans planted in same plot as Butterbeans

Planted today:

Butter Beans (in N.1B and N.1C, plus V.1C and V.2C area)

Cherry Tomato, Cucumber, Patola and Upo (in V.1C and V.2C/D Vines area)

Both dry and soaked Brown Beans in V.3C

26 September:

A Tale of Three Plots:

Improved drainage profile Devastated by Chickens Soil Harvested for Vermiculture

V.4B V.4C V.3C

27 September:

Two Mini-Gardens

Coconut-1 Coconut-2

Ijmages of Mini-Gardens under Coconut
Trees

Two More Mini-Gardens
Banana Patch 1. Banana Patch 2.
Images of
mini-Gardens under Banana Trees

Herb garden Growing
(see 13 September)
Images of Herb
Garden

Two Young Squashes
Newly Born Older Sister
Images of
growing Squash

Planted today:

Purple Sitaw (from Cabana) and House White Sitaw in H.3

Assorted Peppers in V.3C

House Sitaw (Green) and Asparagus in V.3D

Asparagus in Banana Patch 2.

28 September:

Planted today:

Dragon Stir Fry Mix, Amayah, Red and White Radish, Chingkang, Carrot, Red and White Onion, Hot spot Tomato, Thai Basil and Tall Utah Celery (around Tree Stump in T.2AB and in T.3AB)